quân tử thực vô cầu bảo, cư vô cầu an
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The gentleman eats without seeking plenty, dwells without seeking ease — sufficiency is his whole appetite.
Literally: gentleman eats not for satiety, dwells not for comfort
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “quân tử thực vô cầu bảo, cư vô cầu an” mean?
The gentleman eats without seeking plenty, dwells without seeking ease — sufficiency is his whole appetite. Literally: gentleman eats not for satiety, dwells not for comfort
Is “quân tử thực vô cầu bảo, cư vô cầu an” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.